Gary Jobson Picks Former AYC Junior as One of Eight All-Stars

Each year Gary Jobson scours the country for the top young sailors and gives them recognition in his Sailing World column, shining a light on what he calls All-Star finalists. And this year, he picked a former Arizona Yacht Club Junior sailor.

Scott Buckstaff just turned 18, but most of us remember him as a promising Opti sailor, guided by his talented sailing parents, Dan and Kathleen Buckstaff. The family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area a few years ago and Scott continued to sail. Did he ever!

Gary Jobson notes that last year Scott won the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship in the 29er class with crew James Moody. Besides his skiff sailing, Scott has been sailing on keel boats and this last summer served as tactician aboard the J/90 Ragtime and won the YRA of San Francisco Champion of Champions Regatta.

In his spare time, says Jobson, Scott mountain bikes and trains for triathalons.

Dan and Kathleen were instrumental in gearing up the Arizona Sailing Foundation’s Junior Program, helping acquire a fleet of Optis, setting the curriculum and building excitement for the program, even taking the kids to national competitions. Scott’s success shows where a program like that can lead.